With online classes now being the new normal, students have to adapt to this new change. Unfortunately, this poses a lot of challenges for students that aren’t accustomed to this type of learning. Compared to in-person classes, online classes have the flexibility of doing work at your own pace and working independently, but for other students, traditional classroom learning is one of the key factors for their successes.
As someone who prefers online classes and has been taking them ever since the start of college, I understand the struggles of online classes. While it’s not for everyone, here are some ways that have helped me succeed in online classes and hopefully will help you as well.
Set Aside Time Just For School, Yo
I can’t state this enough. It’s very important you allot some time specifically for your classes. By this, I mean you essentially focus just on your classes for the allotted time to finish the assignments due that week. The biggest reason this is recommended is so your brain can focus only on one thing — your classes. My advice is to spend three to four hours a week overall for all your classes, but this really depends on your workload. By doing this, you work towards completing and getting your assignments done early.
Attend Your Zoom Classes, Dude
When I mean “attend” your Zoom classes, actually be present and pay attention to what’s going on in front of your screen. Just because it’s on Zoom and you may not be required to turn on your camera doesn’t mean you should log in while you’re still in bed and asleep while class is going on. I mean you could, but you pay for your classes. This also includes relying solely on your professors uploading recorded Zoom sessions. For the people that are busy or have another task they have to do, if possible, just log onto Zoom and listen in. This is one of the biggest positives of Zoom, you can literally log on anywhere provided you have adequate internet. Take advantage of it. Essentially, attending your classes will provide you with the information you need and allow you to ask questions you need to be answered right then and there. It also gets your mind into school mode to soak up knowledge for your classes. Just attend your Zoom classes, dude.
Turn in Your Work Early, Man
To get to the point, just turn in your work early, man. With online classes, you have the flexibility of turning it in whenever you want. You can always turn in your work last minute at 11:58 PM, but I don’t suggest it. As someone who has once turned in their assignment at 11:58 PM, it was not fun. The biggest reason I don’t recommend this, aside from it being last-minute, is you never know if the assignment you expected to finish quickly will actually take you longer or if your internet goes out, your computer crashes, or your fish stole your Wi-Fi. This is not a risk I’d recommend taking cause you just never know and professors will not give you a pass for a late assignment because they won’t believe it. This is what goes through their mind, “The assignment has been up for two months, dude! You had the chance. This is on you, man.” Just turn in your work early, and you’ll be set with the added benefit of not piling up your work.
Don’t Last Minute Your Email, Just Don’t
Unlike in-person classes, emails don’t have the luxury of having a response right away. If you need help with something, email them early. Don’t email them the day before the work is due or the day of. If this is an answer you desperately need, then definitely email them early. You just never know when your professors will respond. There’s not much I can say. Just email them early.
Just keep using Google. Don’t stop researching. That is all.
With online classes continuing throughout the next semester, hopefully this advice serves you well. Online classes take time to adjust, but just know you can do it. Even if you won’t get it right away, you’ll definitely do better next semester and find out what works for you.
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